Gold Member

All you need to do is accompany me on an alpine hike or walk in the countryside as we share one or two bottles of Riojo or Pinot Noir and you'll quickly get an idea of my talent for attention. And you'll either learn more about ALL of the surrounding flora including each plant's nomenclature or you will have found a means of escape.

When it comes to paying attention, it's all about plants; indigenous plants and non indigenous that have become invasive and displaced the indigenous, which in turn have changed the populations of local birds and other fauna, affected the local water and how that affects the natural economy of the immediate area where we're hitting back snorts of healthful red wine. From the micro I continue to focus on to the macro until it's time for a comfortable nap -- preferably in young, tall grass.

All you need to do is accompany me on an alpine hike or walk in the countryside as we share one or two bottles of Riojo or Pinot Noir and you'll quickly get an idea of my talent for attention. And you'll either learn more about ALL of the surrounding flora including each plant's nomenclature or you will have found a means of escape.

When it comes to paying attention, it's all about plants; indigenous plants and non indigenous that have become invasive and displaced the indigenous, which in turn have changed the populations of local birds and other fauna, affected the local water and how that affects the natural economy of the immediate area where we're hitting back snorts of healthful red wine. From the micro I continue to focus on to the macro until it's time for a comfortable nap -- preferably in young, tall grass.

VerifiedGold Member

I voted for understanding. I am of the opinion that knowledge and wisdom come from understanding; understand what one is reading, understand what others are feeling, understanding the world around you, understanding pleasure, etc.

I voted for understanding. I am of the opinion that knowledge and wisdom come from understanding; understand what one is reading, understand what others are feeling, understanding the world around you, understanding pleasure, etc.

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I actually put option 4, but it really depends on the issue at hand. Too often I find myself waiting for my turn to speak rather than just relaxing and listening. But with my freaking ADHD by the time they are done talking I've lost like 20 thoughts or things I could've said in the course of the talk. So what do ya do? Ita an uphill battle when u have a fickle attention. (Although I cam burn through a book in a damned day conversations tend to bore me... I have no clue why)

Gold Member

I picked "Other" - for enjoyment. I LOVE listening to music - it's not something I can just have on in the background. I plug in my headphones, press play, turn up the volume and just sit back in my chair. I shut my eyes so I don't get distracted by anything in my vision and just concentrate on the music. I don't want to miss a thing. I want to hear every note and every lyric from start to finish.

Gold Member

I picked other as well. I pay the most attention when something is interesting, with the goal being to learn more about the subject or to hear what someone else thinks and possibly discuss the subject with them.

I also try to pay attention when a friend is talking to me about something important to them. My goal in this case is to be helpful to my friend.

Gold Member

If i absolutely had to narrow my goal to just one thing, I think it'd be closeness.

Knowledge, of course, comes from paying attention, but knowledge is mostly useless unless you do something with it.

Understanding is closely related to, and reliant upon knowledge. Understanding is also useless unless you do something with it.

Wisdom cannot be attained from paying attention. Wisdom requires far more action than "just" paying attention. There's a reason why most cultures revere the wise - it's because wisdom is a truly rare trait. The effort required in attaining wisdom is staggering.

Finally, one only needs to listen to gather facts and reach a conclusion. Thought is hardly required at all. This is how so many people can be found spouting off talking points about subjects they really know nothing about. They listened. Had they thought about it, they'd have their own opinions.

So, while paying attention can gain me knowledge and it can gain me understanding, those aren't my goals. I like to use my knowledge and understanding. I like to use them to gain closeness in my relationships. I'm not just talking about my husband, or my siblings, or my mom. I like to have closeness in all of my relationships. And I can only gain that through paying attention.